A classic NFL Films video shows longtime NFL coach Jerry Glanville stating that the NFL stands for “Not For Long.” That acronym accurately describes the current state of the Cincinnati Bengal’s defense as they transition from former defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to Al Golden. Golden most recently helped lead a Notre Dame defense that allowed the Fighting Irish to make a run deep into the College Football Playoffs in the first year of the expanded playoff format.
The change in defensive coordinator makes sense when looking at the defensive rankings of the Bengals during the last five seasons. In 2020, the Bengals defense had the 26th ranked defense in the NFL based on the EPA/game statistic, and they had an EPA of -5.6. During the 2021 season, the Bengal’s defense improved, moving to 13th in the NFL, and 2022, the Bengals ranked as the 6th best defensive unit in the NFL. The success of the Bengal’s defense in 2022 was a driving factor for the Bengal’s drive to the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23 to 20.
The season after losing the Super Bowl, the Bengals’ defense crashed to 27th in the NFL. Anarumo was considered a candidate to move onto a head coaching position, including interviewing with the Arizona Cardinals. Instead of becoming a head coach, Anarumo stayed one more season with the Bengals, helping the defense climb back to 18th in the NFL. Cincinnati came up short of making the playoffs, and frustrations with the Bengal’s lack of sustained success led to Anarumo’s firing. The Indianapolis Colts jumped on the opportunity to hire Anarumo, and he is now leading the defense for the Colts.
In response to firing Anarumo, the Bengals hired Al Golden, who allowed him to return to Cincinnati, a city his family still calls home. Golden’s job is not to completely tear down and rebuild the Bengal’s defense but to take the foundation Anarumo established and the defense to the next level. In this job, Al Golden expects to use the same 4-2 Nickel defense Anarumo used and tweak the scheme to hit his defensive philosophy. Previously, Golden was the Linebackers coach for the Bengals under Anarumo before moving to the defensive coordinator position at Notre Dame.
While the Bengals’ defense will look very similar to Anarumo’s at first glance, Golden is expected to make some key differences in an effort to upgrade its performance. Today, we will examine Golden’s philosophy and see how that will lead to personnel changes and how the Bengals approach the 2025 NFL Draft.
Philosophical Overview of Al Golden’s Defense
Al Golden typically runs a 4-2 Nickel defense that he calls a “pro-style defense,” based on multiple stunts, blitzes, and coverage adjustments while showing roughly the same pre-snap defensive look to the opposing offense. Against modern spread offensive formations with 10 or 11 personnel, the Bengals will have a 4-2 Over front, with a 3-tech defensive tackle, a gap-plugging nose guard, an anchor defensive end to the boundary side, and a “Viper” hybrid linebacker/defensive end to the field side.
While Golden implements a variety of coverages in his defensive game plans, he prefers to run a significant amount of man-to-man coverage schemes, primarily different forms of Cover 1. Available personnel are essential for Golden; he needs athletic and physical cornerbacks. If Golden has confidence in the current Bengals cornerbacks, expect to see consistent press coverages.
A key player for Golden’s defense is their Nickel corner, the Sam linebacker. Under Anarumo, that player was cornerback Mike Hilton, but the Bengals have yet to re-sign Hilton, a free agent. That is because Golden prefers a more significant, more physical player at that position with the build of an outside linebacker and the coverage ability of a safety.
Previously, the Bengal’s Nickel corner was considered a coverage-style player, but Golden prefers a more physical player who can run and pass equally well. Golden could use a strong safety in that position or an athletic edge player who must be competent in playing in space and dropping into coverage.
The biggest question that Golden must answer will be related to the Bengals cornerbacks and whether or not he can trust them in man coverage. Also, the Bengals desperately need to upgrade their safety position after losing Jesse Bates to the Atlanta Falcons several seasons ago. Additionally, it is not clear who the Bengal’s “Viper” would be due to Trey Hendrickson being the Bengal’s best pass rusher, but currently having a dispute with the Bengal’s front office about his contract and potentially a trade, sending Hendrickson to another team.
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